1895 - Wall Shooting at the Tremont Hotel

 

 

 

Late on Friday afternoon, July 28, 1895, all three Hamilton daily newspapers had special editions printed and newsboys were shouting about the shooting that had earlier in the day.

As reporters rushed to get as much information about the incident, some of the details provided would prove to be slightly inaccurate as the days passed but, basically, gunfire had broken out in a Stuart Street West Hotel, the Tremont House.

The neighbourhood along Stuart street from the Grand Trunk Railway station to the area of Bay Street North was rough, and was generally referred to as the Bowery. Among the denizens of the Bowery was a gang called the Whitecaps.

The Herald carried the following headline which carried most of information that was known just a few hours the incident:

“Third Edition : Murder! : James Neelon Shot By Jimmy Wall : The Victim Not Likely to Recover : Shotting Affray In the Tremont House : A Row which May End Fatally : The Victim a Young Man Who Resided With His Mother On Bay Street North – Jimmy Wall, Who Did the Shooting, At Once Placed Under Arrest – He is Well-Known in the City as a Clog Dancer, Sport and Hotelkeeper”

Hamilton Herald.    June 28, 1895.

The next day, Saturday July 29 1895, reporters for all three Hamilton newspapers plus the Hamilton reporter for the Toronto Globe were able to gather and published detailed information about the matter.

The Spectator account began as follows:

 “Jimmy Wall is in jail, and it may be that he will never be a free man again. Lucky indeed will he be if he escapes the gallows.

“At St. Joseph’s Hospital, James Neelan lies in one of the wards will a horrible wound in the abdomen, and if he should die, Wall will have to stand trial for murder. Neelan is little more than a boy, and is the only child of his widowed mother. His chances for life last night were considered to be about one in a thousand by the half dozen doctors who were in constant attention upon him. There is no question about who committed the deed. Wall admitted it himself and several of Neelan’s friends saw it.

“The shooting took place at the Tremont House, a saloon on Stuart street about one-third of the distance up the hill from the Grand Trunk station entrance. Wall is the proprietor of the place and Neelan a frequent customer. The hotel has for years had the worst name of any licensed place in Hamilton. It was there that poor old Danny Shea was last seen alive, and many a fight has taken place there. No proprietor has been able to keep it for long, for the reason that the License Commissioners would not renew the licenses of some of those who have kept the place on account of the tough resort they made of it. Jimmy Wall has been the proprietor only a few months, taking possession about the time that the last renewal of licenses was made. The place has since been as tough as ever, according to all that can be heard, and the last chapter in its history does not seem to point to any attempt on the part of the proprietor to elevate the tone of ‘The Bowery.’

The Herald article on the Wall shooting began this way:

“Fortunately for Hamilton, occurrences such as that of yesterday afternoon, in which James Wall, proprietor of the Tremont House, shot James Neelon, in the abdomen in the barroom over making change, are exceedingly rare The city has had few serious crimes in recent years, and the report of the affray on ‘the Bowery’ yesterday aroused great excitement.”

The Tremont House was considered one of the roughest establishments in the city:

“The shooting took place at the Tremont House, a saloon on Stuart street about one-third of the distance up the hill from the Grand Trunk station entrance. Wall is the proprietor of the place and Neelan a frequent customer. The hotel has for years had the worst name of any licensed place in Hamilton. It was there that poor old Danny Shea was last seen alive, and many a fight has taken place there. No proprietor has been able to keep it for long, for the reason that the License Commissioners would not renew the licenses of some of those who have kept the place on account of the tough resort they made of it. Jimmy Wall has been the proprietor only a few months, taking possession about the time that the last renewal of licenses was made. The place has since been as tough as ever, according to all that can be heard, and the last chapter in its history does not seem to point to any attempt on the part of the proprietor to elevate the tone of ‘The Bowery.’¹

¹ Spectator. July 29 1895

The story began when for young men, James Neelon, John & Michael O’Connor, Frank Roach, decided to get together for a few drinks on a Friday afternoon. The four may well have been members of the Whitecaps:

“The four entered John Edmonstone’s Hotel at the corner of Stuart and Tiffany streets and had a drink. They then walked up the street to Antony Koch’s hotel, at the corner of Bay of Bay street, played pool, and then went into the bar.

“When I saw John McCann, the bartender, last evening, he said it looked as if they had been drinking, but they all appeared to be sober enough, except Neelon, who staggered a little, and when the latter asked for a drink, he refused to give him anything, but being coaxed he gave them each a soft drink or a cigar.”¹

¹ Spectator. July 29 1895

Then the four headed down Stuart street to the Tremont House – O’Connors and Neelon went into Tremont while Frank Roach went into Mrs. O’Brien’s store, adjoining the hotel where he got a sandwich:

“Upon entering the barroom he (Roach) made some profane remark about there being no butter in the sandwich, and Wall, thinking he was talking to him, became hot, saying he didn’t want Roach to swear at him.”¹

¹ Herald July 29 1895

Almost simultaneously, Neelon threw a two dollar bill on the bar to pay for the beer which had been ordered 20 cents due. Wall returned change for one dollar not two. A vicious argument over that.

Jimmy Wall was so angry about the matter, he decided to take action.  He retrieved his gun, an old-fashioned Smith & Wesson, apparently of 32-calibre.

The Spectator described what then happened in the following way:

“Just as Neelan ordered drinks, a young man named Frank Roach entered with a sandwich in his hand. Neelan asked to drink also, and he said he would take beer, the same as the Connorses. Neelan took ginger ale, Roach opened his sandwich, saying : ‘ The ---- -- -- ---- that sold me this sandwich! There is no butter in it.’

“Wall turned to him and asked : ‘ What do you mean by calling me such names? I can lick eight like you!’ At the same time, he swore at young Roach.

“While Wall and Roach were talking, Neelan threw a two dollar bill on the bar and asked for his change. Wall threw 80 cents to him and Neelan demanded a dollar more, saying he had given him a two-dollar bill. There was a general altercation then for some minutes, Wall first talking with Roach about the names he had called him and then with Neelan about the change. Finally Wall ordered Neelan out of the hotel, and the latter said he would not go until he got a dollar.

         

“ ‘If you don’t get out of here in a minute you die!!, cried Wall to Neelan, and at the same instant he pulled a revolver from his breast pocket, pointed it at Neelan and fired. The ball entered Neelan’s abdomen and the young man fell to the floor groaning.

“Wall rushed around to the front of the bar, and addressing the Connorses said :

‘Take that man out in two seconds, or I’ll serve you the same way.’

Neelon was carried up Stuart street to his mother’s home on Bay street, near Murray street. Medical help was immediately summoned:

“When Dr. Balfe saw the victim of the affray, he had little hope for his recovery and had him removed to St. Joseph’s Hospital in the ambulance. The scene at the house as the young man was leaving was exceedingly touching. He smiled sadly to his mother and nodded a fond farewell.

“While moving Neelan to his house part of the viscera protruded from the gaping wound made by the bullet, and these were replaced at the hospital. Dr. Storms, Cockburn, Rogers and McGuire were called in, and a consultation was held. The doctors were all of one opinion – that Neelan’s chance for recovery was about one in a thousand. The young man remained in an unconscious condition.”

On James Street North near the Stuart street corner, Hamilton police officer Campbell was on foot patrol when he was approached by people who wanted to inform him about the shooting:

 “The constable at first doubted the statement, as so many highly-colored yarns spring from the Bowery, but on going to the home of Neelon, on Bay street, he found it was too true.

“Constable Campbell then walked up to the Tremont House, finding Wall standing outside of the main entrance to the hotel at the floor.

“ ‘All right, Campbell, I’ll go with you when I get my coat on,’ said he on seeing the officer.

“Wall went to get his coat and the officer followed and took him into custody and secured the pistol. In a few minutes the prisoner was lodged behind the bars at No. 3 police station, and the revolver, a Smith & Wesson 32-calibre five-shooter, was left at the police office. Only one chamber was empty.

While walking Wall to No. 3 Police station, Wall asked P.C. Campbell if they could make a brief stop at Billy Carroll’s cigar store:

The cigar man went around the counter, thinking the two wanted to smoke, but Wall struck up a conversation about being arrested.

“ ‘I just shot one of those Whitecaps on the Bowery,’ he remarked.

“ ‘Yes, it would be a nice thing you’d shoot,’ laughingly retorted the cigar man.

“ ‘Well, that’s just what I done. Yes, I shot him; and those Whitecaps down there should be shot,’ replied the barkeeper.”

It was a notable scene as P.C. Campbell escorted Jimmy Wall to No. 3 Station. Many passersby paid little attention as the story of the shooting affray was not yet widely known. Jimmy Wall made no attempt to escape or provide any resistance :

          “At the Police Station Wall was very cool, and claimed that he was attacked by Neelan and the Connorses. ‘Neelan,’ said he, ‘reached over the bar and caught me by the throat, and one of the other fellows tried to pull me across the bar.’

“Mrs. Wall went to the office early in the evening, and wanted to talk to her husband, but was refused permission. Wall was asleep when she called. She said Wall had been drinking and took the revolver from a shelf to scare the men away. She did not think he intended to shoot.”

There was a detailed biography of the shooting victim in the Saturday edition of the Times :

“James Neelan is an only son, aged about nineteen years, and very tall for his age. He has been employed as a churn maker in the Industrial Works, corner of Bay and Murray streets, for a long time. His fellow workmen considered him a fairly industrious young man, although he often associated with young men whose characters are not the best by any means. His mother resides in a large brick house near Murray street, and keeps boarders. She has an income aside from money received by boarders, so it cannot be said the young man was his mother’s sole support. Neelan’s father died about eighteen years ago – when Neelan was only a year old. About a year and a half ago, he got into a scrape with P. C. Venard. He and six other young men attacked the officer when he was endeavoring to make an arrest, and used him pretty roughly. For this they were fined $10 each.

“About the same time, he pushed a young boy who annoyed him against an emory wheel at the works and laid him up for some time.”

Jimmy Wall’s biography appeared in the same issue :

“Wall is about 35 years old, and is well-known as a sport, clog dancer and bartender. He was behind the bar in Wolfe’s hotel for a long time, and a few months ago, he purchased the Tremont House from Jas. Blowes. About ten years ago, he shot at Mrs. Zeoller, in her mother’s laundry, on James street, while in a fit of jealousy. Mrs. Zeoller is now Mrs. J. Kirk. For this he was acquitted by the High Court. Jimmy Wall married again, about four months ago, and his wife has given birth to a child already. His mother is an invalid, living at No. 203 Park street north. He lived with her up to the time he purchased the Tremont House.

“Frank Wall, his brother, was in charge of the hotel last night, and a big business was done in the bar, many young men dropping in to express regret at the unfortunate affair.”

Proceedings at the Police Court held on the Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after the shooting, were of more than ordinary interest. The news of the event at the Tremont House were widely known by the time Magistrate Jelfs entered the Court Room:

“Wall was in the dock this morning. He had no collar on and looked very tough. His wife sat in the witness row and sobbed until the case was called. He looked around the court room and occasionally nodded to acquaintances in the court room, which was crowded with persons anxious to see the prisoner. When his name was called, he jumped up nervously and said, ‘Here!’ Mr. Arthur O’Heir appeared for him.

Chief Smith asked that the prisoner be remanded for eight days, as he was not prepared to say whether the charge would be murder or shooting with the intent to kill. Magistrate Jelfs then committed him for that period, and Wall was led away. His wife then wept bitterly and asked permission to speak to Wall in his cell.”

While the Tremont Hotel, run by Jimmy Wall’s brother was open for business during the evening hours after the shooting, that situation would not last:

“At Wall’s mother’s house, a Times reporter was told that Jimmy has been drinking ever since he got the Tremont House, and when he is in liquor, his temper, always quick, is beyond his control altogether. So heavily had he been drinking for four months that the relatives came to the conclusion a couple of months ago that the best thing for him would be to get out of the saloon business. They advised him to get his license transferred, and even went so far as to ask the license authorities to look out for someone who would take the place.

“The Board of License Commissioners met this morning and decided to cancel the license of the house.”

As for the shooting victim’s medical condition the day after the incident, the newspapers were given graphic details to share with the public : “ When the doctors on your Neelan last evening they had very little hope for his recovery. The bullet entered about an inch above the naval and tore through his body, making six holes in his intestines. They were unable to find the bullet and they arranged his internal organs and sewed his up. He was under the influence of chloroform while the operation was being performed. This morning he was quite conscious, and hopes for his recovery grew brighter. The physicians were surprised at the vitalirt shown by him.

“The physicians saw the patient again this afternoon, and were pleased with his condition. Dr. Balfe and Dr. Rennie, who attended him at the house and have had charge of the case, agree that he is better today than they hoped for. Still, there are many dangers yet to be encountered, complications such as peritonitis, blood poisoning and other troubles, which may prove fatal. While they hope to be able to bring him around, the chances may still be said to be against him.”